The article discusses the ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare providers when treating incarcerated individuals within hospital settings. It highlights a personal experience where a physician delivered a cancer diagnosis to a prisoner in front of armed guards, raising questions about patient privacy and rights. As the prison population ages, the healthcare demands on these facilities are increasing. The situation is further complicated by policies that may lead to mass incarceration, thereby jeopardizing the health and dignity of those affected. With significant health implications for millions of incarcerated individuals, ethical healthcare delivery remains critical.
In the decade since I delivered that first diagnosis, the population of our prison system has dramatically aged, and its healthcare needs have exploded.
Imprisonment is a major determinant of health: a person's life expectancy declines by two years for each year they serve in prison.
Collection
[
|
...
]